Supreme Court set to indict Nehal on July 10

Three-judge bench dissatisfied with Senator’s reply to its show-cause notice

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court has decided to indict Senator Nehal Hashmi on July 10 for delivering a ‘hate speech’ against judges of the apex court and members of the joint investigation team (JIT) probing the Sharif family’s offshore assets.

A video featuring Hashmi addressing a public gathering in Karachi had gone viral on social media last month in which he threatened “those investigating the PM’s sons”, in an obvious reference to the JIT and the superior judiciary.

On Friday, the three-judge implementation bench of the top court, headed by Justice Ejaz Afzal Khan, expressed dissatisfaction over Hashmi’s reply to a show-cause notice issued by it. The bench also expressed indignation over Hashmi’s non-appearance in the court.

When Hashmi’s counsel, Hashmat Habib, told the court that his client had left the country to perform Umrah, the bench asked why the lawmaker had not filed an application, seeking an exemption from personal appearance.

The bench pointed out that the attitude of the former Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader was inappropriate.



Meanwhile, Habib contended that his client was being victimised. He also objected to the attorney-general’s letter to the Sindh government for registering a criminal case against Hashmi over the ‘hate speech’.

The lawyer also requested the bench to stop Sindh police from taking action against his client. However, Justice Ejaz declined the request.

Later, the bench decided to frame charges against Hashmi on July 10.

In his reply to the top court’s show-cause notice, Hashmi did not regret making the ‘threatening’ speech. Hashmi said he believed that the apex court’s suo motu action had caused him irreparable loss. He also questioned the attorney general’s letter that asked the Sindh government to initiate criminal proceedings against him.



In his capacity as PML-N president, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had ordered termination of Hashmi’s basic party membership after an internal inquiry committee found him guilty of violating party discipline and acting in defiance of the party line.